Hospitality’s Smoking Gun?

Is the potential smoking ban the final bullet for many pubs? This is a question that reared its head this week with the news that the government is looking to ban smoking in outdoor areas of pubs and restaurants.

Why is it being considered?

A stated reason is that smoking causes around 80,000 preventable deaths in the UK amongst smokers and non-smokers. This puts a significant burden on the NHS at all levels. In addition to the preventable deaths, there are the additional treatments required by those, who are fortunate not to die this year from smoking-related ailments

Quickly cutting the opportunities to smoke therefore makes sense. This may be why 58% of the population in a YouGov poll supported this proposed ban. So, everyone wins, right?

Balanced Consequences

Smoking is currently a legal choice for UK adults. The proposed legislation to gradually increase the legal age to purchase cigarettes is likely to be enacted by the new government. This perhaps has more sense to it. Why- because it gives time for evolution. And evolution is good for businesses like hospitality that has faced recent shocks from covid and cost of living crisis.

In 2007, the indoor smoking ban came into force. Critically hospitality had sufficient notice to invest in and devise workarounds. This allowed smokers to still enjoy their habit in outside spaces. If they could brave the colder areas of marquees, umbrellas and designated smoking areas often in the previously overlooked beer garden; then there was no issue.

This adaption also coincided with the increase in gastro pubs and more family-friendly facilities to attract new markets. The combination of the outdoor areas and this pivot meant that for some pubs and restaurants trade actually increased. But there is no doubt, it also fuelled the massive reduction in  UK pub numbers over the last 20 years.

Pulling the Trigger

The key is timing. No one is arguing that passive smoking is desirable. Or that the best long- term outcome isn’t fewer or no smokers for the health and economic benefits that it brings for all. What needs to be fully considered is the long-term detriment it may have on the UK’s hospitality industry if brought in too quickly. Many establishments don’t have the financial resources to sustain a downturn in trade, while they adjust. They will go bust.

In round terms, UK pubs and bars employ 0.5M people. And when combined with all staff in restaurants and hotels c2.5M. Even if only small percentage of additional businesses fail, that has a significant economic impact not only on the individuals involved; but in the commercial transactions of those businesses and supplier organisations. Pull the trigger quickly and we kill an important economic sector, which ironically is just recovering from the catastrophes of the early 2020’s. Provide a sensible timetable and lead time; the industry will adapt again.

Comments are closed.